Playday Celebrated in Brentford

Yesterday I took part in the local Playday, which was held in St Paul's Recreation Ground, on Lateward Road, Brentford. Locally coordinated by Alix Reeves of Westplay, the event saw a wide range of fun and engaging activities for children of all ages. Amongst other things, youngsters enjoyed participating in face-painting, t-shirt decorating, hat-making, steel drum playing, bubble blowing and real-life table football. Catering was organised by the Cafe of St Paul's Church in Brentford.

I met a team from Chiswick and Brentford Your Extended Services (YES), who were on hand to give information on Hounslow Council's Extended Services scheme (past events have included yoga for exam-age children, paediatric first aid courses and a Healthy Cooking Club). I also enjoyed lunch from the St Paul's Church Cafe, where I hold regular surgeries.

Playday is the annual celebration of children's right to play, coordinated by Play England. It is an annual campaign where, each year, thousands of children and young people get out and play at locally organised events, encouraging the development of community feeling in the process.

I think this is a wonderful initiative. Play is an essential part of every child's life and is vital to their development. When I was a child, we were able to play freely in the streets and in the parks, and enjoy the great outdoors. Many children now do not get that opportunity.

The event was a chance for children to have a wonderful time together in a safe environment, and gives the community an occasion to come together. I look forward to seeing similar events locally in the future. Well done to the Playday team and the local volunteers!

The first hustings meeting took place in Brentford last week. I thought it was a good session with some great questions from the floor.

Unfortunately Ann Keen, my Labour opponent, was not able to be there, which was very disappointing. I was looking forward to the opportunity of debating with her. These public meetings are good for democracy and allow local residents to get involved in the political process. It is important though, that all those invited make every effort to be there.

Thanks to Brentford Chamber of Commerce and others who organised the evening.

Willliam Hague speaks out against a 3rd Runway

Rt Hon William Hague MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, visited the constituency this week.

He condemned Labour for its support of a third runway at Heathrow and restated the Conservative Party's opposition to it. He said that a fourth Labour term would mean a third runway and Labour will look for ways to expand Heathrow.

Just like him and so many others in the constituency, I’m opposed to plans for a third runway which will damage the lives of millions with noise, pollution and congestion, and will harm the environment. If you are against a third runway, then please vote Conservative at the next election...as this is the only way to stop it happening. I will continue the fight for you.

Photo: Cllr Mark Bowen (candidate Feltham & Heston, Rt Hon William Hague MP, Mary Macleod

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust..doing great work!

Last week, I attended an event at the new Audi centre in Brentford to celebrate the achievements of the Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust over the last two years.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust started out as a football-based charity and they now offer some 27 different sports and other educational activities to more than 27,800 children in the area. They have achieved so much over the past two years with 179 projects currently across health, social inclusion, education and sports participation.

I recently saw some of this work, when I visited Brentford FC with Jeremy Hunt MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. We were shown several examples of work that is done in the community, including local schoolchildren enjoying their kayaking lesson at the Kew Boating Arch. Might be tempted to join them next time!

The work that the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust is an inspiration to others. They have shown real leadership and commitment to working within the local community and making a difference to young people by giving them opportunities to develop and learn.

P.S. I was at Griffin Park on Saturday afternoon and was thrilled to watch The Bees take a point from the mighty Leeds United. Well done to the team.

Labour cuts back on right to buy

With housing such a high profile issue locally, courtesy of a group of squatters, I thought it was worth highlighting what a Conservative government plans for social housing.

The goal is to extend the opportunity for social tenants across England, by:

• - Rewards for good behaviour: Offering tenants with a record of five years’ good tenant behaviour a 10% equity share in their social rented property, which can be cashed in when they want to move up the housing ladder.
• - A ‘Right to Move’: Introducing a comprehensive national mobility scheme for good tenants who wish to move to other social sector properties.
• - Supporting low-cost housing sector: Strengthening shared ownership schemes which allow those on intermediate incomes to part-own their home.
• - Cutting waiting lists: Relaxing the rules that prevent thousands of habitable empty properties being used to house those on local authority waiting lists.

Labour has cut back on council tenants' ‘right to buy’, making it increasingly hard for people on lower incomes to own their own homes. We want to find ways to help tenants get into the property ladder.

An independent report commissioned by the Government has highlighted the benefits of the Right to Buy in promoting home ownership, giving people a stake in the state of their neighbourhood and creating mixed communities:

“The Right to Buy was one of the most successful housing policies… because the policy enabled many households to become owner-occupiers who would not otherwise been able to do so… It has been a positive influence in maintaining mixed communities in spatial terms. It has also provided a cheaper access point into owner-occupation for lower income employed households helping to sustain mixed communities are these properties are transferred into the market.’

(ODPM, Lessons from the past, challenges for the future for housing policy)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/evaluationenglish

I’d be interested in your views on this, of course.

And if you’d like to know more about Conservative policy in this area check this out:http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2009/02/Our_plan_to_tackle_Britains_social_housing_crisis.aspx

Boxing day comes early for youngsters at the Brentford Towers

Brentford Towers Residents Association began their festive celebrations in style last week by taking young people off the street and into a makeshift gym at one of the tower blocks on Green Dragon Lane. The Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing class, involved bringing two external instructors from St Mary’s University to give Brentford’s young people a lesson in self defence and fitness.

It is encouraging to see that local people are finding new, great ideas of how to improve their own community and taking responsibility for making it happen. This was an excellent initiative and really benefited the young people who took part. We should try and do more of them elsewhere in the Borough.

Well done to Jane Griffith, chairman of the Residents Association at the Brentford Towers. A great example to others.

The crowds gathered in Boston Manor Park

It was a lovely day at the Brentford Festival this weekend in Boston Manor Park. The weather forecast did not look great...but thankfully it turned out fine (although in the photo my hair looks rather windswept!).

The organisation of the event was impressive and everything seemed to go like clockwork. There was something for everyone including our colourful Conservative stand. There was face painting for children, a dog show, live music, good food, funfair, arts, crafts and a range of stalls. Thanks to Jim for an excellent cup of tea and homemade cakes (I had more than one)!

I really enjoyed the Festival. These events are excellent to be able to meet and talk to local people - not just from the constituency, but also from the surrounding area. It is a day, where the community can come together, have fun, meet others and enjoy a day together.

The day for me finished with the Linden Gardens street party in Chiswick. Another fabulous evening, where everyone in the street had pulled together and organised food, drink, a slide show of years gone by and ending with a superb fireworks display. Well done to Ollie and the other residents in Linden Gardens. I hope it is the first of many!


Photo: Mary with Nowell Anderson, Cllr Barbara Reid, Cllr Lin Davies and John Davies at the Brentford Festival

A Healthy Day in Hounslow

I was delighted that Andrew Lansley MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health, was able to visit the constituency last Thursday.

We started the day by visiting the West Middlesex University Hospital (WMUH), to be briefed on current issues, challenges and progress. We visited several departments in the hospital, including Maternity, A&E and the recently opened West London Day Surgery Centre. The WMUH does not always get the credit it deserves .. but actually, it has become an award-winning, community hospital. Yes, it still has historical financial challenges and yes, there are still improvements to be made, but the staff have made real efforts to improve patient care, MRSA rates and financial management over the last year.

We then visited The Mulberry Centre, a local cancer support charity, which we are currently raising money for in our Healthy Hounslow Campaign. The Mulberry Centre recently won the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) local health award in recognition of excellence in community healthcare. They do fantastic work, as a drop-in centre for those who are affected by cancer. Since one in three people are likely to be diagnosed with cancer, it is so important that patients get the support, advice and treatment they need.

The final stop was GSK, to talk to Simon Jose, Head of GSK UK, and his team, about community involvement, the importance of research and development, and building science skills in schools. GSK is making huge investments in researching both medicines and vaccines for HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, the World Health Organisation’s three priority diseases. They are also developing new treatments for cancer. It is great to have the headquarters of an organisation like GSK in Brentford, a company who not only made total community investments of £282m last year, but have also made a hands-on difference locally.

In healthcare, a lot has been achieved...but so much more still to do.

All in all ....a healthy day!


Photo (from left to right): Cllr Pam Fisher (Hounslow Lead Member for Adult Social Services and Health), Tara Donnelly (Chief Executive, West Middlesex University Hospital), Andrew Lansley MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Health), Janet Henry (Matron of the West London Day Surgery Centre), Mary Macleod (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate), Sue Ellen(Chairman of the Trust Board) and Sally Stephens (Campaign Co-ordinator)

The Olympics comes to Brentford Football Club

Congratulations to Brentford Football Club for being selected as one of the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camps. The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) have announced a range of sites and facilities which will support athletes participating in the Olympic Games.

Brentford Football Club has also recently teamed up with Barratt Homes Limited and completed the purchase of a 7.6 acre regeneration site at Lionel Road in Brentford. Their plans for the new multi-million pound stadium look exciting, as recently demonstrated in the House of Commons (see photo).

Lets have a General Election now

We all expected that there was going to be a General Election in November this year. The signs were all there. Gordon Brown had been doing well in the polls, he had invited Baroness Thatcher for tea at no 10, he had moved key meetings forward, he seemed to be hiring people to run a campaign for him. What happened? What he did was to help create a stronger, more united and hungrier Conservative Party!

People liked what they heard at the Conservative Party conference - expecially on inheritance tax and stamp duty. They have also not been fooled by the Labour Party taking on some of these ideas as their own.

As I was going around Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth and Hounslow in September and October, I was listening to what residents were saying. The Labour Party were also listening as they called people in my constituency to see how they would vote at the next election. They did not like what they heard and decided not to call a General Election.

I wanted a General Election now as I believe the people of this country deserve to vote on Gordon's vision. The last election was based on Tony's vision. The residents of Brentford and Isleworth deserve the right to have a choice now.